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<p>[Disabled</a> Calif. Boy Not Allowed To Board Airplane CBS Las Vegas](<a href=“CBS News - Breaking news, 24/7 live streaming news & top stories”>CBS News - Breaking news, 24/7 live streaming news & top stories)</p>
<p>Is this inappropriate discrimination against an individual or is it just looking out for passenger safety?</p>
<p>I think it’s just looking out for passenger safety. None of us were there to see the situation though, so it’s hard to make an opinion just by what’s written.</p>
<p>From that article, it is absolutely discrimination. There’s even video of him sitting quietly. If the boy was running around and such, there should be some kind of video evidence, no? (EVERYTHING is on camera now in airports… it shouldn’t be that hard to prove either way.) </p>
<p>I have a cousin with a chromosomal condition very similar to Downs so I know how people react to him and people like him (he has the distinct Downs facial characteristics). It’s often not very pleasant. Parents <em>generally</em> (and I stress generally) know their special children better than anyone else. They <em>generally</em> want to make sure their child is as safe and comfortable as possible. I do have a hard time believing that if he was agitated and running around that the parents would let him get on the flight. Most families I know with Downs and with my cousin’s condition would simply ask to be put on a later flight after their child has calmed down. </p>
<p>Just my two cents.</p>
<p>ETA: As an aside, the comments on there are absolutely disgusting. It really makes me wonder how families with “different” children survive in this cruel world.</p>
<p>Who knows what really happened? Film of someone sitting quietly doesn’t mean they didn’t cause a ruckus earlier. Maybe the pilot is prejudiced and got bent out of shape over nothing. Unless a bunch of witnesses come out of the woodwork, it’s one story vs. another story.</p>
<p>No matter what , I think the airline would save a bucketload of PR by flying the family free instead of just repaying the upgrade that they didn’t get to use. Here’s a script to use:
“we’re sorry, the Captain on your original flight is concerned about a passenger close to the cockpit door. We are offering you complimentary tickets for this flight and another if you will move back to coach.”
is that so hard?</p>
<p>I am okay with there being stricter standards on airplanes. If he had not been assigned to first-class seats, it probably would have been okay. It may be that when a passenger is so close to the cockpit in first class, if he may have unpredictable behavior and weighs more than the fllght attendant (unknown fact but likely), the flight attendant may have felt s/he could not handle it.</p>
<p>Very very sad.
As stated above, likely that the 16 yr old’s behavior while awaiting boarding was caught on camera. He was running and yelling and out of control or NOT.
I’ve flown many times and have had crying babies, rowdy toddlers and loud teens onboard.
I truly doubt this young man’s behavior was much more challenging than many others.</p>
<p>As a parent of a 23 yr old DD with special needs, I feel for this family. Hard to balance the needs of a child with the needs/rights of others in a particular situation. Traveling is stressful for anyone…the airline missed an opportunity here in IMHO.</p>